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*Austin’s hotel occupancy tax (HOT) is estimated to bring in $92 million this year and likely to cross the $100 million mark next year. State law requires the HOT tax be used to benefit and promote tourism to the Austin area. *The HOT tax is skyrocketing because tourists are flocking to Austin for live music; arts and cultural festivals; unique Austin restaurants, businesses, and cultural facilities; UT sports; Barton Springs, the Highland Lakes, and Lady Bird Lake; the State Capitol;[…]

The Texas Railroad Commission is perhaps the most important, and yet least transparent, agency in Texas government. Its dishonest and misleading name has nothing to do with its actual duties (which is to regulate the state’s ever so important oil and gas industry). And even though at least one Commissioner seat is on the ballot every two years, fewer than 5% of Texas voters are aware of its duties.

As we wrap up another round of the Texas Legislature, I can’t help but think of another lost opportunity. This session began with great optimism, as they always do, but in the end, the same old question arises; why did I bother? Why do I continue to let myself be optimistic, only to be disappointed session after session? Maybe the disappointment will wear off by the time the 86th Legislature rolls around, but right now, eminent domain reform seems hopeless.

This Texas Tribune article “Where $507 Milliion in Texas Enterprise Funds Went” received only two comments. Is it because we feel hopeless that anything can be done about the state of capitalism we call “crony capitalism”?

North Lee County landowners are speaking out on another commercial-size permit in north Lee County and have requested help from SAWDF to address their concerns. That area is also the site of the Forestar (USA) Real Estate Group’s commercial wells (recently purchased by Archway Water LLC), and is near End-Op/Recharge Texas’ proposed seven wells in Blue and the massive 33-well Vista Ridge Project in Burleson County.

Bastrop, Texas, 6 pm: The non-profit, non-partisan League of Independent Voters of Texas (LIV) is urging urban and rural Texans to call their legislators to help kill two bills that could come to the floor of the House and Senate tomorrow (Sunday). LIV warns that if Senate Bills 1172 and 533 pass, there could be grave impacts on rural and urban Texas, while those who had the power to protect them in the Texas Municipal League and in the highest ranks of the Republican Party failed to act.

This action request is for you to do today or tomorrow — but ASAP! Update Killing Amendment 6 to SB 533 — the SAWS Bid Rigging Maneuver! Again, we ask for your help to kill Amendment 6 to SB 533 by having it stripped from the bill. Our message yesterday has all the details and phone numbers for you to call. To clarify: SAWS and possibly other large cities want to make it easier to cut off the bidding process[…]

We REALLY need your help to torpedo a SAWS Vista Ridge/San Antone Hose — Amendment #6 to Senate Bill 533 — at the last minute, just like we did in 2015. Remember, we warned you about last minute shenanigans!

Today, SAWS (San Antonio Water System) was in a court of law in San Antonio AND at the Legislature with another trumped up “emergency” to build the SAWS hooks up to the Vista Ridge Project (their $3.4 billion, 142-mile mass conveyance water pipeline) at the expense of their ratepayers and despite opposition by landowners over the “donor” aquifer.